CCATL Feeding The Hungry
In 2007, Marie Atkins, devoted wife of Truth Tabernacle of Praise Founding Pastor F. Bobby Akins, was moved by the Spirit to prepare a home-cooked dinner and make it available just ahead of the small, but growing, Wednesday evening service.
Spaghetti, she decided, would be the entrée.
Some weeks prior, Marie had been pitching the idea to her husband. It would be, she insisted, simple to do; she would prepare the Spaghetti at home, some 20 miles away, complete with garlic bread, and maybe salad, and carry it to the Church. She would serve it in the fellowship hall located in the basement of the church an hour or so ahead of service. Whoever wanted to partake would be welcomed.
Pastor Bobby thought well of her desire, but had some reservations around the practical aspect of the idea; Their home stove was not a commercial one--that was a “big cooking”, he reckoned. Carting the food to the church would present logistical challenges. Who would be available to help set it all up once there? Will it be so well received that it would be expected going forward? You can’t “undo” what was done. Was a meal even necessary?
The fellowship hall at Truth Tabernacle of Praise boasted a kitchen as part of the amenities, but it was far from functional. The heavy duty stove was rusted out. A simple sink was all that was available to facilitate any clean up. There was no freezer, or refrigerator. Paper plates, plastic forks, napkins, etc., would have to be picked up to serve the guests. The ‘kitchen’ was in name only. It was a potluck set up, to be sure. But Marie was just as sure that the Spirit was prompting her to provide that meal.
With some Godly pressure, and Marie’s indelible spirit pressing the effort forward, Pastor Bobby gave his blessing. That meal was the first Wednesday evening meal of what now numbers in the hundreds. Wednesday night at Truth Tabernacle has mushroomed into a massive food distribution program that begins with a hot meal and ends with hundreds of families walking away with boxes of fresh food that will feed an entire family of 4 for a week.
This food distribution is now provided through Community Connections of Atlanta an abled-agency that allows us to pick up donations directly from Sam’s, Walmart, Publix and Sprouts. Those donations are transported in a refrigerated cargo truck, set up in the fellowship hall on Wednesday and given away to any and all who come, from 7:30 until the last person is served, free of any charge.
What are the numbers? Every Wednesday, we distribute over 12,000lbs of grocery items, supplying over 200 boxes of food for families, filled with fruits, vegetables, breads, pastries, liquid foods, dry goods and meats. Those families account for over 700 individuals who may otherwise go without!
We need servants willing to help us on Wednesday evening. Please donate your time to help feed hundreds of families in your community. Click the "Contact Us" button below and send us an email indicating your willingness to volunteer to assist with food distribution along with your contact information. We will reach out to you within 2 business days.
